Gainey and his three surviving children announced the creation today of the Gainey Foundation, which will support various causes dear to his late wife Cathy and his daughter Laura. Laura Gainey, 25, was swept overboard by a wave off the deck of the Picton Castle, the tall ship on which she was working last December.

A three-day search in the Atlantic Ocean proved fruitless.

The family expects to see a copy of the report into her death fairly soon.

Today is the first time Gainey has spoken publicly about the loss of his daughter.

He has had two previous meetings with the media since her death but had not discussed it.